Tag Archives: XVII-The Star

If you’ve ever wrestled over an issue or situation and wished your Higher Self would just jump out and give you some advice, you might want to give this tarot card technique a try. For best results, try it with a tarot deck you like, but don’t normally work with.

Begin by shuffling the cards, thinking about the topic or area of concern for which you seek guidance. Consider as many aspects of the situation as you can bring to mind, then ask your cards an open-ended question such as:

“How can I …?”

“What do I need to consider about …?”

“How might it go for me if …?”

“What advice can you give me about …?”

When you feel ready, quickly flip over each card of the thoroughly shuffled deck, placing those that appeal to you face down in a separate pile. DON’T THINK ABOUT THIS TOO HARD!! Just flip over cards and if you like the card for any reason whatsoever, place it face down in a separate pile.

Q: How Can I … (Insert Your Question Here) ?

When you’re done flipping through the cards, pick up the pile of cards you selected (they should all be face down) and without looking at them and without changing the order in which you selected them, count how many you have.

The number of cards you selected correlates with the Major Arcana card of the same number, with 22 equaling 0-The Fool.

So, if like the example above, you pulled 5 cards, that would equal V-The Hierophant. Seven cards would equal VII-The Chariot and 16 cards would equal XVI-The Tower.

If you managed to pull more than 22 cards, simply reduce to a number totaling 22 or less. For example, 27 cards = 2 + 7 = 9 = IX-The Hermit.

Now comes the fun part 🙂

Since you obviously looked at each card as you were flipping them, you will probably know right away whether the Major Arcana card that correlates with the number of cards you selected is in the shuffled deck or in the selection pile. Simply pick up the correct pile, find the card and take the one before it and the one after it as well: this is the Secret Message from your Inner Being, regardless of which pile it’s in.

The Secret Message:

Secret Message cards from the Morgan-Greer Tarot: King of Cups, V-The Hierophant, 9 of Wands

Consider how the Secret Message from your Inner Being relates to the question you asked. If you have the time, consider turning over the cards you selected and read them separately and/or in combination with the Secret Message cards for more insight regarding the topic at hand. Time and again, I’ve found this particular tarot technique almost always brings some degree of insight I either didn’t have or couldn’t seem to put my finger on prior to casting the cards.

The subconscious mind is a curious thing. If you fill it with fear, doubt and apprehension, it will tend to bring frightening and perhaps undesirable situations, circumstances and events back to you. If you’re successful at adopting a more positive attitude, it will be happy to deliver more positive situations, circumstances and events to your doorstep.

Another way to put this: You will (probably) get what you think about all day long.

Tarot card advice – self empowerment

Sometimes it’s hard to know what kind of messages you’re feeding your subconscious mind. That’s where the Veil Spread proves itself useful. I just love how this spread gets to the heart of the matter and helps you to see what’s really going on behind the scenes of your thought process.

As I’ve mentioned here and here, I added extra positions to this spread because I’ve found the information they provide to be quite helpful. The Veil Spread with Extra Positions is a five card spread that can be adapted to many card systems. Here, I’ll use the Tarot to demonstrate.

Annie’s Dilemma

Annie is a long-time tarot reading friend of mine. She’s creative, artistic and imaginative. I’ve disguised her name to protect her privacy.

One day Annie stopped by looking for a second opinion on a new idea she wants to develop. She explained the project then added that she’s been unable to convince herself she can pull it off. I immediately thought this would be a good opportunity to put the Veil Spread with Extra Positions to the test. We crafted the following question for the tarot cards:

What is the truth about my ability to successfully complete this project?

The first position of the Veil Spread with Extra Positions shows what the querent (person asking the question) sees. Annie picked 5 of Pentacles for this position.

5 of Pentacles

This is a card of poverty, lack and inability to acquire what she needs. Annie immediately acknowledged her tendency to doubt her own abilities to manifest what she wants.

Position #2: What Annie Does Not See: XVI-The Tower

The second position of the Veil Spread with Extra Positions shows what the querent is not seeing (the Veil). Annie chose XVI-The Tower for this position.

XVI-The Tower

Quickly brainstorming, Annie rattled off the following concepts: breakthrough, destruction, all will blow up my face, ability to break loose, collapse of a structure.

“Oh my God,” she said. “When I put the first two cards together, I get ‘the ability to break loose and destroy my poverty thinking’!”
It was exciting to watch her identify what she was not seeing!

Position #3: The Truth: XVII-The Star

The third position of the Veil Spread with Extra Positions uncovered XVII-The Star.

XVII-The Star

By now Annie was grinning from ear to ear. “How empowering is that,” she chuckled. “I could be ‘the star of my own show,’ so to speak!” XVII-The Star is a card of hope, inspiration, joy, promise and protection. In position #3 of the Veil Spread with Extra Positions, it shows that the truth of the matter is that Annie has the ability to achieve her goals and plans for the future. It also points to creativity and special skills, both of which Annie possesses.

Position #4: The Advice: 5 of Cups

The fourth card of the Veil Spread with Extra Positions is the Advice Card. It suggests what one should do or not do to achieve the desired objective. Annie had picked 5 of Cups.

5 of Cups

“Oh my God,” Annie said again. “Stop, stop, stop focusing on what I don’t have, what I think I’ve lost, and start focusing on what I really want!”

I couldn’t have agreed with her more. We took a minute to talk about the subconscious mind and how it’s like a little robot whose only function is to deliver what we order from the Menu of Life. Feed it negativity, fear and doubt and it will surely bring the circumstances, events and situations that mirror that thought process. Annie needed to consciously instruct her subconscious mind to bring her more of what she wants and less of what she doesn’t want.

Position #5: The Probable Outcome: XXI-The World

The fifth (and final) position of the Veil Spread with Extra Positions shows the Probable Outcome, based on the current energies surrounding the querent at the time of the question. Annie chose XXI-The World.

XXI-The World

The ultimate card of completion and success, XXI-The World advised Annie that full achievement of her goal was well within the realm of possibility at this time, as long as she busted through (Tower) her negative thinking (5 of Pentacles) and started focusing on what she really wants instead of what she doesn’t want (5 of Cups).

Once again, the Veil Spread with Extra Positions proved itself to be a valuable tool in my Tarot arsenal. Give it a try the next time you’re having difficulty discerning the truth of the matter in any given situation.

When it comes to reading tarot cards, a good rule of thumb to follow is:

If you don’t really want to know the answer, don’t ask the question.

If you choose to ignore this advice, one of three things will surely happen.

1. The cards will pick up on your subconscious hopes and wishes and reflect back to you what you want to hear. At first glance, you might feel joy and relief. Then you’ll get that “hey, wait a minute…that can’t be right” feeling and self doubt will kick in…

Q: Does X like me the way I like him?

A: You are the sunshine of his life. He sees you two as a couple. Your dreams will come true.

Your gut response: “Yeah, right…”.

XIX-The Sun – 2 of Cups – 9 of Cups

Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck (c) 1985 U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

2. The cards will pick up on your subconscious worries and fears and deliver worst case scenarios, sending you screaming for that carton of rocky road ice cream stashed at the back of the freezer (or for whatever your go-to comfort food happens to be).

Q: Does X like me the way I like him?

A: No way. He is lying to you. He will break your heart and leave you crying.

Your gut response: “Aw, come on … it couldn’t possibly be this bad…”

7 of Swords – 3 of Swords – 5 of Cups

Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck (c) 1985 U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

3. The cards, having picked up on your subconscious, vibrational broadcast that you don’t really want to know the answer, will arrange themselves in some gobbly-gook fashion, all but indecipherable, no matter how many times you reshuffle and draw again.

You can avoid the above scenarios by only asking questions for which you are ready to hear the answer. Another approach would be to rephrase your questions — especially about subjects in which you may have an emotional investment — in ways that feel more empowering and less fated.

The tarot is exceptionally good at providing deep insight into your situation/ circumstance/ issue. Instead of asking questions that can be answered “Yes” or “No,” practice phrasing your questions in empowering ways. Empowering questions such as “What’s the most important thing I need to know about [situation/ circumstance/ issue]?” or “What’s the best approach I can take regarding this [situation/ circumstance/ issue]?” are much more helpful and considerably less stress-provoking than the typical yes-or-no questions people tend to ask.

* * * * * * * * * *

A great spread for ascertaining helpful advice and guidance is a variation of “The Veil” spread described in the Tarot de Marseille LWB (little white book). The first three positions are per the instructions. I added positions 4 and 5 because I think the additional information is helpful.

Position #1: What you are seeing.

Position #2: The Veil, or what you are not seeing, or the reason you are not seeing the entire truth.

Position #3: The truth, or how things really are.

Position #4: The advice.

Position #5: The Probable Outcome if you follow the advice.

Example:

Pertinent background leading up to the question: Recent blood work shows my cholesterol’s too high and the doctor’s scale confirms my bathroom scale is accurate (sigh).

My question: “What am I seeing / not seeing concerning my health and what is the truth?”

QUEEN OF PENTACLES: I am seeing myself as healthy. After all, my cholesterol is not that high, and my weight is not that excessive. The doctor didn’t even lecture me about either one. I want to believe I am healthy enough.

Position #2: The Veil, or what I am not seeing.

8 of Pentacles – Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck

8 OF PENTACLES: Eight is the number that signifies balance vs. imbalance, and pentacles are physical. As such, they are often related to health issues. There is some type of imbalance going on, likely physical, whether I want to admit it or not.

Position #3: The truth, or how things really are.

II-The High Priestess – Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck

II-THE HIGH PRIESTESS: I am not listening to my gut feelings surrounding this issue. I am ignoring the inner voice that keeps nagging me that all is not well and that I really need to start doing something about it, preferably sooner rather than later.

Position #4: The Advice.

Ace of Swords – Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck

ACE OF SWORDS: I need to find ways to release pent-up emotions, stress, anxieties and worries. Working out on a regular basis will go a long way in helping me bring my physical and mental energies back into balance. Exercise needed!

Position #5: The Probable Outcome if I follow the Advice.

0-The Fool – Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck

0-THE FOOL: A new beginning, starting afresh. All things are possible, jump in with both feet. Improved health.

I had to admit the cards were right. I told myself, the next time I got a flyer from a local gym offering promotional pricing, I’d join. And wouldn’t you know it, a flyer from the fitness center closest to my house arrived in the afternoon mail…

* * * * * * * * * *

I’d really like to encourage you to ask questions that help you sort things out, empower you, and lead you to your own conclusions. The answers you’ll receive by taking this approach will be much more insightful and helpful than any yes-or-no answers could ever hope to be.

Amazon Associates Disclosure

Living with Cards is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.